The battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eActros is starting another customer trial: with Netto Marken-Discount in the greater Hamburg area. The food discounter is testing the heavy-duty electric truck to supply its Hamburg supermarkets with, for example, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and dry goods. The eActros does three to four tours every day, often covering distances of more than 100 kilometers.
Between tours, the vehicle is recharged at the Netto depot in Henstedt-Ulzburg just outside Hamburg. Mercedes-Benz Trucks has also approved the vehicle for use with Netto with the ‘additional ton’ allowed by the EU directive on alternative drive systems. The eActros in use with Netto can therefore now have a gross vehicle weight of 26 tons instead of the previous 25 tons, which means it can carry an extra ton of cargo.
The refrigerated swap body of the eActros used by Netto is the W.KO Cool model from Schmitz Cargobull. It has optimized insulation for the energy-efficient transport of goods that require refrigeration. Its robust construction is ideal for intensive daily use. The purely electrically powered cooling unit operates completely emission-free and is specially designed for use in distribution transport. The vehicle bodies are largely provided by Schmitz Cargobull also in the second test phase of the eActros.
Christina Stylianou, head of corporate communications at Netto Marken-Discount, said: “Netto has been committed to continuously reducing energy consumption and making the supply chain more sustainable for a long time. This also includes the continuous optimization of our logistics processes. With the Mercedes-Benz electric truck, we want to test a new way of further reducing CO2 emissions on the roads.”
The eActros has been in the second phase of its practical testing as part of the so-called innovation fleet since 2020. One of the many findings gained during the practical tests is that the eActros’s range of about 200 kilometers has proven to be realistic, regardless of payload, route or topography. The eActros is in no way inferior to a conventional diesel truck in terms of availability and performance in urban traffic, on highways or overland routes. The cooling system for the cargo, but also the air conditioning – both of which are electrically operated – have been operating without any restrictions in both extreme heat and winter conditions. Drivers are pleased with the continuous availability of torque across the entire speed range. They also report in particular on the quiet driving style and a pleasant, smooth driving experience. In addition, when driving with foresight, electrical energy can be recovered through recuperation.
The eActros is based on the chassis of the Mercedes-Benz Actros. In addition, however, the vehicle’s architecture is completely geared to electric drive and has a high proportion of specific parts. Drive is provided by two electric motors close to the rear-axle wheel hubs with an output of 126 kW each and a maximum torque of 485 Nm each. This results in 11,000 Nm each after the transmission ratio, which is a performance equivalent to that of a conventional truck. Lithium-ion batteries with 240 kWh supply the energy for the eActros. Depending on the available charging power, the batteries can be fully charged within two hours (at 150 kW).
The eActros will be launched as a two- and three-axle vehicle. Series production is scheduled to start in 2021 at the Wörth plant on the Rhine. In addition, Daimler Trucks will embed the vehicle in a holistic ecosystem that also includes consulting services relating to e-mobility. They include route analyses, checking for possible subsidies, support for operational fleet integration, and the development of suitable charging-infrastructure solutions.